How
do I get started?
Getting started is easy! 1. If you have a press-ready digital file, you can place your order and send your file by clicking the "Order It" button from our homepage, selecting a product and proceed to checkout. Once you have your order number, select the "File Upload" button from the top navigation to quickly and easily upload your files.
2. If you do not have a press-ready digital file you can customize any of our pre-designed templates. Start by clicking the "Design It" button on the homepage. There you will have several options available for designing your files.
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I
would like to send you my own custom layout, how can I send that
to you and is there an extra charge?
The best and easiest way to send us a custom layout is to use our Design Online tool. However, if you are uncomfortable with the online tool the steps for submitting a custom layout are as follows:
1.
You can submit a custom layout by drawing a box to the dimension
of your
card and indicate placement of your photos and logos by using arrows
and
boxes.
2. Use our online order form to place your order and select the
box “I will fax you
my custom layout”
3. The order form will return a job number – please write
that job number on your
fax so we can match it to your order.
4. A $45.95 minimum charge will apply to custom orders. Charges
may be
higher depending on the time required to set up your job.
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How
much does it cost to design my cards?
If
you are ordering a postcard the price of the postcard includes:
a drum scan of one photo, typesetting of up to 50 words of text
in black
ink on the backside of the postcard and an email proof .
If you are ordering business cards the setup fee is $24.95 which
includes:
a drum scan of one photo, typesetting your information, any of our
pre-designed
templates and an email proof.
If you are using Design Online, the cost to create a custom design online is free.
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What
is your turnaround time?
1.
If you are sending a print ready digital file your order will be
ready to ship or
pick up in 2-3 business days. A print ready digital file requires
no
modifications or additional work, and is ready to print as-is.
2. If you are sending a job that requires Postcard Press to typeset
or design: the
typical turnaround time is 4 to 5 business days for a proof and
the job will be
ready to ship or pickup approximately 2 to 3 business days after
the day you
approve your proof. Please keep in mind that complex designs may
take
longer.
3. Business days are Monday to Friday.
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What
does a setup fee include:
1.
Our base setup fee of $24.95 includes a drum scan of one photo,
typesetting
your information any of our pre-designed templates, and an email
proof.
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What
does 4/0, 4/1, and 4/4 mean?
1. 4/0 means full color on one side of
the card and no printing on the back
2. 4/1 means full color on one side of the card and black or greyscale
on the back
3. 4/4 means full color printing on both sides of the card
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How
do I send my files?
To
upload your files:
1. Click the "Upload It” button from our
homepage, or click on the "File Upload" tab in the main navigation.
2. Enter your order information.
3. Attach your files and send your order.
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Can
I send my files by email?
Please
do not send files by email if you are placing an order.
If you are sending new files for an existing order you can send
your new files to your customer service representative. Please reference
your order number in the subject line of the email.
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How
fast is your rush service and how much does it cost?
Postcard
Press offers a 1 day rush express service for customers who have
print ready digital files. We must receive your job by 10:00 am
PST in order for your job to be ready to ship or pickup by the following
afternoon. There is a $50 rush charge for business cards and $100
rush charge for postcards.
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I’m ready to place an order, how will I know that you have
received it and that everything is okay?
Immediately following the placement of your order you will receive
an email confirmation that we have received your order and any files
that you have sent.
Our new software will automatically update you during each stage
of your order. The status updates will be sent by email and will
include specific information about your job.
You can also check the status of your order from our website by
clicking the “Account Manager” button from our homepage.
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Do I get a proof?
If we are typesetting your order or modifying digital files that
you send to us we will send an email proof.
If you are sending press-ready digital files a proof will not be
sent.
We offer a color proof that is calibrated to match our press. If you are concerned with accurate color of your submitted digital files this is an excellent option. The price for this service is $40.00 which includes overnight shipping to your door. Color proofs are shipped to the billing address unless otherwise specified. Most color proofs will be shipped 24-48 hours after we receive your order.
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If I order 2,000 cards can I get 2 different versions of 1,000 but
still pay the 2,000 price?
In
order to keep our prices as low as possible we can only print one
version of each card and still provide a price break for higher
quantities.
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How do I reorder?
If you would like to reorder, please call customer care at 800-957-5787 for assistance.
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Can you extract my photo out of the background it is currently in
to make
it appear as though it is floating in a new background?
Yes we can, this is a simple way to give your card a beautiful
contemporary look. In most cases the cost to do this is $15.95.
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How will I know if you got my files?
Once
you have placed your order you will receive an email confirmation
detailing your job receipt of your files. Our digital department
will then check your files and prepare them for a press run. If
we have any problem with your files you will be notified by email
immediately.
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How does mailing work?
We
have recently introduced mailing services. With this new service
we provide
one stop shopping for all of your printing and mailing needs. To
use our mailing
service simply provide us with your mailing list. If you are a realtor
your title company will usually provide this free of charge –
If you are not a realtor you can obtain a list from a variety of
sources one of the largest is infousa.com.
Our mailing service includes:
• Presort first class postage
• List Processing
• CASS certification
• Inkjet set-up and addressing
• Delivery to the post office
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What is your bleed?
Most
jobs we print require a 1/16” bleed over each edge. If your
job requires die-cutting it will also need an additional 1/2”
all the way around for the gripper on our machine.
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Can you print a spot color?
We
can print a spot color, however in most cases it is usually cheaper
to print four color process. The cost for us to print a spot color
is usually around $300.00 depending on the color you require.
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Can I substitute a color for black or grayscale on the backside
of my postcard?
If
you would like to order color on both sides of your postcard you
can order any of our two-sided full color products. Unfortunately,
we cannot substitute another color for black or grayscale on the
backside of the postcard for the same price.
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Can I mail my order?
If
you would like to mail your order you can do so in one of the following
ways:
If you are sending a digital file you can...
1. Download our digital file order form.
2. Fill out the form
3. Mail your disk and payment.
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If you are sending
photos, transparencies or slides you can
1. Download our order form for non designers.
2. Fill out the form
3. Mail your materials and payment
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What is your paperstock?
We
print on a superthick bright white cardstock.
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What are your hours of operation?
We are open 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. PST.
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How long will it take your graphics department to check my files?
In
most cases your files will be checked and approved for a press run
within 24 hours.
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Can you fix my file if I don’t send it to you correctly?
In
most cases we will not be able to fix your file – please read
our digital file instructions carefully to avoid extra charges and
delays.
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How do I know the color will be correct?
If
your job is color critical the only way you can be absolutely sure
the color is correct is to order a Postcard Press color proof.
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Can I send a printout of how the color should look?
Unfortunately,
your color proofer has not been profiled to match our press. Other
factors such as media and inks will also result in your proof not
matching the final print. Additionally, it is impossible to predict
the degree of difference between your proof and the final print.
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Where is my proof?
If we are typesetting your order or modifying digital files that
you send to us, we will send an email proof. If you are sending
print ready digital files a proof will not be sent unless you specify
email proof on your order form. The price for this service is $19.95.
We also offer a hard proof that is calibrated to match our press.
If you are concerned with accurate color of your submitted digital
files this is an excellent option. The price for this service is
$40.00 which includes overnight shipping to your door. Most color
proofs will be shipped 24-48 hours after we receive your order.
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If I do a mailing will I get a confirmation that the cards were
mailed?
Yes,
upon request we can provide you with a statement from the postmaster.
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Video: How to set the proper DPI in Adobe Illustrator
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Video: Set your file to CMYK in Photoshop
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Video: Set the correct DPI in Photoshop
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